Tara Kapur, market lead - India, Duolingo English Test (DET), spoke to us in our March issue on scaling a challenger brand in India and why functional products need emotional storytelling to win.

Having built the DET business in India from the ground up, Kapur reflects on leadership lessons, the power of focused market building, and the partnerships that drove awareness in the ed-tech space. She also discusses marketing to high-intent student communities, balancing Duolingo’s playful brand with academic credibility, and the role of trust, community, and consistency in accelerating growth across priority markets worldwide.

Building DET in India from scratch came down to what Kapur calls 'extreme clarity and prioritisation.' Rather than chasing mass visibility, the team focused on depth within high-intent pockets, particularly in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where early product-market fit was strongest. This approach helped establish credibility before expanding outward, proving that concentrated effort can create outsized brand equity.

In hindsight, she admits community-building should have started earlier. As she put it, “community drives long-term advocacy because students continue influencing peers.” Initiatives like the DETermined Student Ambassador Program have since become a key lever for trust and referrals, showing that even a one-time product can generate ongoing influence through peer networks.

Her multidisciplinary background across journalism and entertainment shaped how DET was positioned. “An English test is functional, but the decision to take it is deeply emotional,” she said, pointing to the family discussions, financial planning, and aspirations behind every registration. Instead of focusing purely on product mechanics, DET leaned into storytelling, spotlighting real student journeys from tier-two and tier-three cities reaching global institutions. The result was a brand that felt more human and relatable.

Partnerships, meanwhile, became a major growth unlock. “Partnerships allowed us to tap into cultural conversations students were already part of,” Kapur explained. By aligning with films and national narratives, DET embedded itself within pop culture while reinforcing legitimacy, positioning the test as part of a larger, credible pathway to global education.

Trust, however, remained the biggest hurdle. As a fully digital, at-home test, DET had to address scepticism head-on. “We over-communicated our security and proctoring standards,” she said, highlighting how transparency and repetition were critical in shifting perception. Alongside this, the brand focused on amplifying global acceptance and equipping counsellors and agents with the right information to confidently recommend the test.

Kapur also emphasises the importance of precision targeting. “Micro-influencers… improve consideration and conversion because they reach students actively planning their next steps,” she noted, explaining why niche platforms outperformed mass campaigns in a high-intent category. At the same time, peer recommendations played a complementary role, adding credibility to decisions that involve multiple touchpoints.

Balancing Duolingo’s playful tone with the seriousness of an English test required an audience-led approach. With students, the brand’s lightness helped reduce anxiety, while communication with institutions and counsellors leaned more heavily on rigour and data.

Looking ahead, Kapur is clear about what will drive scale. “Consistency over novelty will drive growth,” she remarked, pushing back against the industry’s tendency to chase constant reinvention. Doubling down on proven strategies, from community engagement to partnerships, will be more effective than experimentation for its own sake.

At the same time, she acknowledges the volatility of the study-abroad space. “We must actively build trust, counter myths, and reinforce the long-term value of global education,” she shared, underlining that growth in this category is as much about shaping perception as it is about marketing execution.

This conversation first appeared in our March issue. Click here to buy the copy and unlock the whole conversation.